Linking Makers and Markets: Exploring Access to Market Pathways for Home-Based Workers
Written by: Nimish Raj Sharma
Over 67+ million women across South Asia work from their homes but are often unseen in official statistics. They contribute substantially to their family incomes and to the economy through participation in a wide range of practices – from producing textiles and fabrics and other products, selling them both online and through in-person marketplaces. Despite their hard work, there remains a big disconnect between home-based workers and lucrative markets.
HomeNet South Asia (HNSA) recently organised an engaging regional webinar titled ‘Access to Markets’ on 29 April 2025, bringing together affiliate organisations from all across South Asia to discuss one of the most pressing challenges faced by home-based workers (HBWs): access to markets. Moderated by Ms. Monica Raina, the session was a reflection on some of the biggest obstacles and opportunities under this topic.
First, the members from affiliate organisations shared their experiences. Manjula from Saadhana (India) talked about her shift from supplying bulk orders to building her own brand through digital marketing. Dinusha from SABAH (Sri Lanka) shared findings from a survey of over 3,000 home-based workers, revealing high raw material costs and competition from large producers as some of the biggest challenges. Kezang from SABAH (Bhutan) raised the idea of having a collective brand under HNSA, in an attempt to establish reliable online systems. Farida Khanam from Bangladesh emphasised the need for strong teams and collaborative branding. Apsara Maharjan from SABAH Nepal conveyed past failed marketing efforts and urged for renewed, better-planned collaboration.
Following the discussion, Ms. Monica Raina outlined three crucial strategic priorities.
- Market research: What to produce, how much to produce, and for whom to produce are questions that home-based workers must answer before developing products. Understanding customers, what they value, and how they shop can help HBW enterprises design products tailored to market demand.
- Branding: Considering how competitive today’s markets are, branding is essential in building visibility and trust among customers. Stronger individual brand identities as well as better-planned collective branding through HomeNet South Asia can aid HWB enterprises in getting closer to attaining a desirable online presence.
- Developing consumer awareness: Consumers must understand the effort, authenticity, and story behind products developed by home-based workers. Data-driven storytelling and certifications go a long way in building credibility and providing new perspectives to consumers.
Finally, reflecting on the key ideas of the discussion, the HomeNet South Asia team emphasised their commitment to building a structured program for access to markets. As immediate next steps, the team proposed mapping affiliate products and interests through a Google Form survey. This would then be followed by designing a pilot access to market initiative, blending digital and physical opportunities. Plans were also made for developing training modules on digital marketing and storytelling, and as frequently emphasised throughout the webinar, for starting a collective branding strategy under HomeNet South Asia. It was underlined that better utilisation of e-commerce and social media platforms would allow home-based workers to reach untapped markets. These actions lay the foundation for a stronger, more connected marketplace for these dedicated workers to prosper and thrive.
This webinar served as an important reminder that South Asia’s home-based workers are not just workers, but entrepreneurs, artisans, innovators, leaders, and storytellers. Together, we can create meaningful pathways to connect them with markets that value their skills and efforts. With the sheer commitment of HomeNet South Asia and its affiliate organisations, it is only a matter of time before these ideas materialise into tangible actions for transformation.